Vadodara: A sessions court on Tuesday sentenced an in-charge executive engineer to three years in prison for demanding and accepting a bribe in exchange for clearing bills related to a check dam project, bringing an end to a corruption case that had been pending for 17 years.

The convict, Deepak Brahmbhatt, was serving in the irrigation department when he was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in September 2009. The case was initiated following a complaint lodged by contractor Madanchand Jain.

According to the prosecution, Jain had secured a contract worth Rs 2.50 crore in 2008 for the construction of check dams in Naswadi taluka. Although he completed three check dams under the project, his bills and security deposit refund remained pending.

In September 2009, Jain approached Brahmbhatt at the irrigation department office in Kuber Bhavan seeking clearance of his pending dues. During the meeting, Brahmbhatt allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 4.50 lakh to process the payments.

The prosecution stated that the engineer later reduced the demand to Rs 3 lakh after speaking to Jain over the phone. Jain allegedly agreed to pay Rs 2 lakh initially and the remaining amount after his bills were cleared. Brahmbhatt also asked him to bring an additional Rs 10,000, reportedly for a supervisor.

Jain subsequently approached the ACB, following which a trap was laid at the irrigation department office on September 23, 2009. Officials caught Brahmbhatt allegedly accepting the Rs 10,000 bribe amount and arrested him on the spot.

Government pleader Bhavik Purohit said the court found Brahmbhatt guilty under the Prevention of Corruption Act after examining the evidence and sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment. DeshGujarat